Northwest Missouri State University senior Jackson Barnes is a semifinalist for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy® presented by Mazda. The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) set an all-time record of 199 semifinalists announced for one of college football's most sought-after and coveted awards.
Barnes will be a senior linebacker this fall for the Bearcat football squad. Barnes hails from Kansas City, Missouri, and is a graduate of Liberty High School. Barnes maintains a 3.96 grade point average with a major in chemistry: medicinal chemistry. Following graduation, Barnes plans to purse a doctorate of pharmacy.
He has been a four-time member of the MIAA's academic honor roll and he also earned MIAA Scholar-Athlete award in 2019. Barnes notched second-team all-MIAA status in 2019 as he helped lead the Bearcat football team to the program's 30th MIAA regular season championship. Barnes secured 74 tackles, three interceptions and 1 1/2 quarterback sacks as the Bearcats reached the NCAA Division II playoffs for the 16th consecutive season.
Barnes serves on Northwest's Unity Council as a team leadership member. He has volunteered community service time and to help with spring clean up in the city of Maryville.
Celebrating its 31st year, the award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership. The NFF will announce 12-to-14 finalists in November, and each of them will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. Later this year, one member of the class will be declared as the winner of the 31st Campbell Trophy® Presented by Mazda, having his postgraduate scholarship increased to $25,000 and receiving his own 25-pound-bronze version of the iconic statue.